As much as I love the 2000-2004 Quintet, and the Campbell-Osborne lineup of 2006 for that matter, something about these early lineups keeps pulling me back.

I've had these Gorge discs for five years now and they're among the most-listened-to discs of all my obscenely huge P&F library.

I think the reason is Robben Ford. The guy does things with a guitar like you'll never hear elsewhere. Listen to his playing in Shakedown - the trills, the flourishes, the fills, the ANIMAL noises he coaxes out of his axe. This is the stuff that melts my butter.

Phil has had so many good friends, I could never pick my favorite band. This is a keeper.